Amanda Kloots is interested in supplements.
The fitness entrepreneur, author and television personality, along with incubator The Center, unveiled Friday the launch of Proper, a supplement line developed with flavor and convenience in mind. The range, available from Tuesday, includes five powders packed with superfoods. Digestion + Debloating; Immune Support; Metabolism + Energy Boost, and Calming Aid are all priced at $28. The launch also includes a water bottle ($14) and an electric mixer ($13). Industry insiders estimate the brand’s first-year retail sales will reach $15 million to $18 million.
“I love creating things that I believe will help people stay healthy. I’m a single mom and work five jobs, so I know how difficult that can be,” she says. Kreutz, who also runs a fitness platform, spoke exclusively to WWD via Zoom. .
Although this isn’t her first time launching a product in the wellness industry, Kloots’ ethos has never changed.
“When I launched my first product, Jump Rope, my mindset was, if you only have 10 minutes, just jump rope for 10 minutes,” she said.
After trying out different brands and finding what she calls a “graveyard of supplements” of products gathering dust, Kloots wanted to create a line with the same approach as her previous products.
ben bennett and amanda kloots
courtesy
“[I thought] What if I created a supplement that was really good, tasted great, that I would want to take, and that really met the needs of people like me? This everyday woman living an empty life and trying to provide for her family,” she said.
When she connected with The Center founder and CEO Ben Bennett in 2023, Kreutz knew it was time to find the right partner and create something. The two bonded because they were both from Ohio. Additionally, Bennett was raised by her mother, and as a single mother, Kloots’ story resonated with her.
“There are many similarities in our lives, but what struck me when she talked about what she wanted to do was think about the challenges that working women have on a daily basis.” Bennett said.
The duo recognizes that many supplement brands enter the market every day, but believe this initial idea is what sets the line apart.
“She didn’t want to create a super comprehensive supplement for super athletes,” Bennett said. “When we look at other brands, we see who their customers are, but we don’t feel like that’s our girls.”
Kloots added: “It was important to us to create something that was affordable and accessible to everyone, so people felt they were getting their money’s worth.” I added.
Therefore, the products cost just $28 for a 30-day supply and are made to be used in conjunction with each other when needed.
“I basically look at my day, my week, even my month, [figured] You see how different each day is,” Kreutz said. “We’re not the kind of people who need the same thing every day. Sometimes, when our days are full of stress and anxiety, we need something to calm our minds. Sometimes I… I eat so healthy that I don’t need vegetables every day…I can adjust it to what I need.”
Kloots and Bennett’s connections also influenced who they envisioned as their core customers.
“We joke about the woman from Logan, Ohio. That’s our girl,” Bennett said. “I feel very connected to her. Amanda feels very connected to her…That’s been a north star for us.”
Although the brand has started selling directly to consumers, Bennett said brick-and-mortar retail will be important in the future.
“We are currently in discussions with retailers, and we believe that ultimately Proper will be available at our major retail partners by the end of the year, or sooner,” he said.
Bennett said the brand has released five powders, with more to come, and hinted at additional formats in the future.
“We have a very healthy pipeline of products coming up,” he said. “We’ll have two more powders coming out in 2025, as well as new product categories…What Amanda is really focused on is looking at new formats that are convenient and delicious.”
This is also a significant milestone for Bennett and the Center as it marks the incubator’s first wellness-focused brand.
“For the better part of the last decade, we have seen the lines between the two blur. [beauty and wellness]” Bennett said. “We feel like consumers are very comfortable thinking of the categories together and understand a holistic approach to health and beauty, both internal and external, so this makes a lot of sense. ”
He continued: “I was interested in developing something that was purely in that category in the wellness space, but I was waiting to see if someone would come along who would tell a story that I felt was compelling.”
